Top Knights teenager out for season

Key Melbourne Knights defender Daniel Piorkowski will miss the rest of the National Soccer League season after seriously injuring a knee while playing for the Australian under-20 team in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

Knights general manager Stela Krivicic said it was a heavy blow for the youngster and the club, as the knee will require a reconstruction.

Piorkowski, 19, twisted his knee in the opening minutes of the match against the United Arab Emirates at a stifling Zayed Sports City Stadium. Australia drew 0-0 but the result was soured by the injury.

It was a double blow for Piorkowski, as under-20 coach Ange Postecoglou is using two games against the UAE to select his team for the World Youth Cup, which will be held in the Emirates late next month. The second game will be played today.

Postecoglou said it was a good workout for his team, which had not played together for 10 months.

The Emirates stacked their defence and the Australians also had to cope with blistering heat, with the mercury hovering around 35 degrees.

"I thought they did well as they got in behind the defence a number of times and caused a few problems for them. They (UAE) played very defensively with five across the back, so it was pretty hard to break them down," Postecoglou told the Australian Soccer Association website.

"My main objective is to get a good preparation for the team and give them a decent chance to do well. We have three games in Korea at the beginning of November and a game in Japan on the way back, so we can keep the lads together for a good period leading into the tournament."

The Knights play the Football Kingz at Ericsson Stadium today, while South Melbourne hosts Newcastle United, which beat Wollongong Wolves 2-0 on Friday.

Adelaide United made a stunning debut in the national league, defeating the previously unbeaten Brisbane Strikers 1-0 in front of 15,568 fans at Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday.

Former Socceroo Carl Veart scored the only goal in the 38th minute, volleying home a cross from defender Richie Alagich.

The crowd was the biggest for an NSL match at Hindmarsh since 1995.

"We couldn't have scripted this better," United coach John Kosmina said.